Two months into my stint with the Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 and I am still not done staring at it every time I walk up to it.
The stance, the detailing and the general sense of purpose give it a fun loving personality that makes even a dull office commute feel like an event. Thumb the starter and that personality gets even louder, quite literally.
The single has a proper snarl when you wind it up and a delicious pop and crackle on the overrun that is borderline addictive. I strongly suspect this is why the fuel efficiency feels poor in my use. With that soundtrack on tap, short-shifting feels like a wasted opportunity, so the tach needle spends more time higher up the rev range than the efficiency gods would approve of.
Living with it in daily traffic has been made easier by the low seat height, which inspires confidence in tight gaps and awkward parking spots. The one modern touch that has annoyed me is the Tripper dash navigation. Having to keep my phone screen on for the system to work may be down to Google and Apple rather than Royal Enfield, but it still feels unnecessarily inconvenient on an otherwise likeable motorcycle.
Living with the Guerrilla has highlighted a few other small things. The clutch is light enough for traffic, the brakes are capable without being scary, and the wide tyres give it a planted feel in the wet. The engine does pass a bit of heat towards your legs in slow-crawl situations, although not enough to be a deal breaker in our pleasant autumn. Fit and finish on our test bike has held up so far. No new rattles or squeaks have joined the soundtrack.
So at the end of month two, where do I stand with the Guerrilla 450? I love the way it looks, I love the way it behaves, and I am genuinely addicted to the way it sounds. I do not love the fact that I seem to know the staff at my neighbourhood fuel station on a first name basis now. If your commute is short, or you are more disciplined with your right wrist, the running cost equation may look less dramatic. For me, with the longest office run of the lot, the bike is constantly asking me to choose between my ears and my wallet. On most mornings, the ears win.
Ridden: 6171 km
Likes: Character, sound, confidence-inspiring ergos
Dislikes: Small fuel tank, navigation usability
